An electrical connector that can be compressed onto a composite transmission line without causing catastrophic damage to the non-metal/steel core. The electrical connector comprises a sleeve and a compression regulator that limits compression of the sleeve.
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1. An electrical connector comprising:
a sleeve comprising an electrically conductive metal material and a channel adapted to receive an end of a non-metal composite core; and
a compression regulator that is sized and shaped to allow the sleeve to be radially inwardly compressed a limited pre-determined amount to thereby form a friction engagement of the sleeve with the non-metal composite core and prevents the non-metal composite core from being crushed when the sleeve is radially inwardly compressed around the non-metal composite core.
17. An electrical connector comprising:
a sleeve comprising an electrically conductive metal material and forming a channel adapted to receive an end of a non-metal composite core, wherein the sleeve comprises a first member having ends adapted to mate with ends of at least one separate second member of the sleeve; and
a compression regulator that is adapted to allow the first and second members to be radially inwardly compressed a limited pre-determined amount to thereby form a friction engagement of the first and second members with the non-metal composite core and prevents the non-metal composite core from being crushed when the first and second members are radially inwardly compressed around the non-metal composite core, wherein the compression regulator comprises the ends of the first and second members comprising mating projections and receiving grooves, and wherein, the projections and grooves are sized and shaped to provide increasing resistance along lateral sides of the projections and grooves to insertion of the projections into the grooves from when the projections and grooves first touch to thereby provide an increasing interference fit as the projections are further pushed into the grooves.
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This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/906,354 filed Mar. 12, 2007 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector and a method of applying an electrical connector to a transmission line. More particularly, the present invention includes imploding an electrical connector onto a transmission line that comprises a non-steel core.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
A method of imploding electrical connectors onto a steel core is described in “New Implosive Connector Technology for High Voltage Conductors”, Pasini, The 8th IEEE International Conference on AC and DC Power Transmission, Savoy Place, London, UK, March 2006.
Non-metal cores, composite cores, and linearly driven wedge connectors for composite cores are described in US Patent Publication Nos. 2004/0182597; 2004/0026112; 2004/0131851; 2005/0006129; 2005/0227067; 2006/0016616; 2006/0051580; and 2006/0084327. Each of these documents are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,280 describes an anti-bird caging connector. This document is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
One aspect of the present invention is to attach an electrical connector to an object, such as a composite core transmission line. Non-metal/steel cores typically have a high tensile strength but also have a compression failure or crush point that is less than steel or stranded steel cable. For example, carbon composite core materials may have a compression failure or crush point of about 4000 pounds per square inch.
A strong frictional force is needed between the non-steel core and/or a conductor carried by the non-steel core and the electrical connector to keep the transmission line suspended above the ground. Therefore, the non-steel core has to withstand enough compressive force to frictionally secure the electrical connector to the transmission line, yet be controlled so that the non-steel core is not catastrophically damaged during the axial or radially inward compression of the non-steel core and/or the conductor.
The present invention is therefore directed to an electrical connector that is radially inwardly compressed onto a non-metallic or non-steel core, such as a carbon-based core. In one embodiment, the electrical connector comprises a sleeve may be radially imploded onto the non-steel core directly or onto the conductor positioned adjacent to the non-steel core. Other radial compression mechanisms, such as hydraulic or manual compression, are also contemplated.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an electrical connector is provided comprising a sleeve and a compression regulator. The sleeve comprises an electrically conductive metal material and a channel adapted to receive an end of a non-steel core. The compression regulator is configured to prevent the non-steel core from being crushed when the sleeve is radially inwardly compressed around the non-metal core.
An implosion section can be provide comprised of explosive material, wherein the implosion section surrounds a portion of the sleeve. The compression regulator can be comprised of a compressible material positioned adjacent to the non-metal core. The compression regulator can be comprised of a plurality of spaced apart sections that each extend from an interior surface of the sleeve. The compression regulator can comprise walls of the sleeve that are interlaced together. The sleeve can comprise two pieces or more. The compression regulator can comprise tapered slots and tapered wedges that fit into the tapered slots with an increased interference fit. The compression regulator can comprise a slot, a tab that fits into the slot, and wherein the tab is shorter in length than the slot. The compression regulator can comprise a gap in the sleeve. A compressible material can be located in the gap. The compression regulator can comprise is brakes or lands and grooves in an interior wall of the sleeve section at the channel. An interior wall of the sleeve at the channel can comprise a plurality of recesses extending into the interior wall from the channel. The compression regulator can comprise a plurality of tapered members that are separated from each other prior to compression and each extend into a respective one of the plurality of recesses. A channel can be formed by a wall of the sleeve which at least partially overlaps itself between the channel and an outer slide of the sleeve.
The foregoing aspects and other features of the invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The present invention generally relates to attaching an electrical connector onto an electrical a transmission line comprising a non-steel core and/or a conductor wrapped around the non-steel core.
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An explosive material 20, 20A (
Interior surfaces 22-22P of the sleeves 16-16P may have continuous, unbroken surfaces. Alternatively, as shown in
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Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and associated drawings. For example, the sleeves 16-16P can be compressed or torqued with hydraulic tools, by hand, or with torque clamps to a pre-determined compression force that prevents core failure yet still holds the transmission line off of the ground. Accordingly, it is understood that the invention is not to be limited to the illustrated embodiments disclosed, and that other modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Combinations of features of the various embodiments described above could also be included in other embodiments.
Geibel, Dean E., Crutcher, Bernard C.
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Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Mar 11 2008 | Hubbell Incorporated | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
May 05 2008 | GEIBEL, DEAN E | FCI Americas Technology, Inc | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 021068 | /0043 | |
May 20 2008 | CRUTCHER, BERNARD C | FCI Americas Technology, Inc | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 021068 | /0055 | |
Dec 03 2009 | FCI Americas Technology, Inc | Burndy Technology LLC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 023618 | /0770 | |
Nov 04 2010 | Burndy Technology LLC | Hubbell Incorporated | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 025406 | /0729 |
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